1. French and Indian War (1754-1763): This conflict between the British and French over territory in North America resulted in a huge debt for the British government. To alleviate this debt, they imposed new taxes and regulations on the American colonies.
2. Proclamation of 1763: After winning the French and Indian War, the British issued the Proclamation to prevent further conflicts with Native Americans. It limited westward expansion by colonists, causing resentment among those who wanted to settle in the newly acquired territories.
3. Sugar Act and Stamp Act (1764-1765): In an effort to raise revenue, the British Parliament passed the Sugar Act, which increased taxes on sugar and other imported goods. This was followed by the Stamp Act, which imposed a direct tax on various printed materials. These acts angered many colonists, who believed that they were being taxed without proper representation in Parliament.
4. Sons of Liberty and Stamp Act Congress (1765): Formed in response to the Stamp Act, the Sons of Liberty used protests and acts of violence to oppose British policies. The Stamp Act Congress, consisting of representatives from several colonies, met to voice their grievances and unite against British taxation.
5. Townshend Acts (1767): Seeking to assert more control over the colonies, the British government passed the Townshend Acts, which levied new taxes on imported goods such as glass, tea, paint, and paper. These acts were met with widespread opposition from the American colonists.
6. Boston Massacre (1770): In a clash between British soldiers and a group of protesting colonists in Boston, five colonists were killed. This event further inflamed tensions between the British government and the American colonists.
7. Tea Act and Boston Tea Party (1773): The Tea Act allowed the British East India Company to have a monopoly on tea sales in the colonies, leading to lower prices. However, it also hurt colonial merchants. In protest, the Sons of Liberty organized the Boston Tea Party, throwing British tea into the harbor.
8. Intolerable Acts (1774): As a response to the Boston Tea Party, the British government passed a series of laws known as the Intolerable Acts. These acts aimed to punish Boston and tighten control over the colonies. They included the closure of Boston Harbor and the Quartering Act, which forced colonists to house British soldiers.
9. First Continental Congress (1774): Representatives from twelve colonies convened in Philadelphia to discuss a unified response to the Intolerable Acts. They made demands for a repeal of the acts and began organizing militias to defend themselves.
10. Battles of Lexington and Concord (1775): The first military engagements between the colonists and the British soldiers occurred in Lexington and Concord. These battles, known as the "shot heard round the world," marked the beginning of the American Revolutionary War.
write notes about the steps leading to the american revolution
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